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TorqueDork
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What areas of math do you need to know in order to understand calculus? Let's assume all I have is up to a 6th grade education. Can you tell me what and how I might learn these things.
Thanks so much! I am going with the latter book followed by Lang'smicromass said:It all depends on what you mean with "understand". This isn't just a smartass comment though. You can easily pick up "calculus made easy" and work through it. You won't need much prerequisite knowledge. On the other hand, you have understanding at the level of Spivak's calculus, this requires a lot more effort and prerequisite knowledge.
A good book here is "Basic Mathematics" by Lang. This book contains everything you need in order to start learning calculus. It covers elementary mathematics in a concise and non-spoonfeeding manner. However, if you've never seen these kind of mathematics before, then this book might be difficult.
If the book is too difficult, then I highly recommend the books by Gelfand. Here is the first volume: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0817636773/?tag=pfamazon01-20
He has other books on trigonometry, functions and graphs, method of coordinates. It would be good to work through all of these books before starting calculus. And it would be good to work through Lang too.
Understanding algebraic concepts such as variables, functions, equations, and graphs is crucial for comprehending calculus. These concepts are used to express and manipulate mathematical relationships and are the foundation for understanding calculus.
Yes, a basic understanding of trigonometry is important for grasping the concepts of calculus. Trigonometry involves the study of triangles and their relationships, which are essential for understanding many calculus concepts, such as derivatives and integrals.
While a strong foundation in geometry can be helpful, it is not a prerequisite for learning calculus. However, some geometric concepts, such as visualization and spatial reasoning, can aid in understanding certain calculus concepts.
Yes, some important topics in pre-calculus that are necessary for understanding calculus include functions, limits, and the properties of different types of functions (such as polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic functions).
No, a strong background in statistics is not necessary for understanding calculus. However, having some knowledge of basic statistical concepts and functions (such as mean, median, and standard deviation) can be helpful in certain applications of calculus.